A. Technical Field
The present invention relates to: a useful photosensitive resin composition as a photoresist material in uses, such as color filter members, producing semiconductor circuit elements, photomasks in photolithography processes, minutely processing metals (for example, producing printed-wiring circuit boards), and protecting layers for various electronic elements (for example, intercalation insulated membranes); its use; and a production process for a lactone-ring-containing polymer included in the photosensitive resin composition; and a novel polymer that is particularly favorable as the lactone-ring-containing polymer. More particularly, the photosensitive resin composition can favorably be used as various members in color filters used for such as color liquid-crystal displays, color scanners, and video cameras, and can be applied to displays with liquid-crystal system or system using organic EL.
B. Background Art
As to photosensitive resin compositions used for a color filter, for example, JP-A-152449/1989 proposes a photosensitive resin composition for a color filter, which comprises a (meth)acrylate ester binder resin, a pigment, a dispersant, a photopolymerization initiator, and a photopolymerizable monomer. However, the heat resistance and heat stability were low in this technique. Therefore, there were problems such that: the deterioration and decomposition are caused in a subsequent heat treatment step; and the surface contamination, the decrease of evenness of coating films, the decrease of film thickness, and the coloring are caused. In addition, satisfactory properties as to coating film strength and sensitivity of exposure were also not obtained sufficiently.
In addition, JP-A-174464/1999 discloses the technique that involves taking advantage of photolithography to produce pillar spacers for displays from a photosensitive resin which is obtained by: allowing glycidyl (meth)acrylate to react with a portion of carboxyl groups of a (meth)acrylate ester polymer having the carboxyl groups; and introducing a (meth)acryloyl group. However, this technique improved the sensitivity of exposure, but the heat resistance and the coating film strength could not be said satisfactory.
In addition, JP-A-27665/1994 proposes a photosensitive resin composition for a dry film resist, which comprises: a copolymer obtained from a (meth)acrylate ester, (meth)acrylic acid, and a 2-(hydroxymethyl)acrylate ester; a photopolymerization initiator; and an ethylenically unsaturated compound. However, the development was insufficient in this technique, and the sensitivity of exposure and the coating film strength were not satisfactory, and the composition was not satisfactory as a photosensitive resin composition for a color filter.
A. Object of the Invention
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide: a photosensitive resin composition, which can form uniform coating films having higher coating film strength without causing surface contamination, decrease of evenness of coating films, decrease of film thickness, and coloring by decomposition in heat treatment of subsequent steps, and has good sensitivity of exposure; use of the photosensitive resin composition; a production process for a lactone-ring-containing polymer included in the photosensitive resin composition; and a novel polymer that is particularly favorable as the lactone-ring-containing polymer.
B. Disclosure of the Invention
A photosensitive resin composition, according to the present invention, comprises a lactone-ring-containing polymer (A) as an essential component, wherein the lactone-ring-containing polymer (A) is obtained from comonomers including a 2-(hydroxyalkyl)acrylate ester and an acidic-group-containing monomer.
A color filter, according to the present invention, comprises a substrate and a resin layer, wherein the resin layer is arranged on the substrate and is formed by photocuring the photosensitive resin composition, wherein photosensitive resin composition further comprises a radically polymerizable compound and/or a photopolymerization initiator, and may further comprise a colorant and/or a dispersant.
A display, according to the present invention, comprises the color filter.
A production process for a lactone-ring-containing polymer having a lactone ring structure formed by lactonization of a structural unit derived from a 2-(hydroxyalkyl)acrylate ester, according to the present invention, comprises the step of carrying out polymerization of comonomers at 50 to 150xc2x0 C., wherein the comonomers include an acidic-group-containing monomer together with the 2-(hydroxyalkyl)acrylate ester as essential monomer components.
A lactone-ring-containing polymer, according to the present invention, is obtained from comonomers including a 2-(hydroxyalkyl)acrylate ester and an acidic-group-containing monomer, and has a side chain including a radically polymerizable double bond.
These and other objects and the advantages of the present invention will be more fully apparent from the following detailed disclosure.